Dylan Christopher Minnette was born in Evansville, Indiana, to Robyn and Craig Minnette. He moved to Champaign, Illinois for five years before settling in Los Angeles to pursue his acting career. He began acting full time when he was just nine years old, landing his first role in an episode of the Nickelodeon series Drake and Josh, followed by a guest-starring role on Two and a Half Men.

Dylan then earned a recurring role as a young Michael Scofield on the popular series Prison Break, as well as a starring role as Iggy Thistlewhite in the holiday television movie The Year Without a Santa Claus (2006). Over the next few years, Dylan boasted memorable guest-starring turns in TV shows like Grey's Anatomy, Ghost Whisperer, and Lost, as well as a three-season stint on the TNT drama series Saving Grace.

While finishing up his final season on Saving Grace, Dylan landed his first feature film role in the critically acclaimed horror film Let Me In (2010). His performance as Kenny earned him a nomination for a Young Artist Award. Since this breakout role, the young actor has earned consistent work in various television shows, including Awake, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and notable films such as the drama thriller Prisoners (2013) starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal and the family comedy Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014) alongside Jennifer Garner and Steve Carell.

In 2015, the young star landed a lead role as Zach in the Jack Black comedy remake Goosebumps. As a child of the Goosebumps generation, Dylan said working on the film was "super nostalgic" for him.

Dylan can also be seen in the biopic The Masterpiece (2016), and as Alex in the horror flick Don't Breathe (2016). He is also appearing in the role of Clay Jensen in the Netflix mystery mini-series Thirteen Reasons Why, adapted from a novel of the same name and executive produced by Selena Gomez.